Rowan Wood School – Hargood Road

						
							Client						

							Galliford Try / Borough of Greenwich

						
							Solution						

							Permanent

The Brief

Delivering a future-ready SEND school

Rowan Wood School is an all-through Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) free school for young people aged 4–19. Located in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, it supports children with autism and severe language or learning delays.

Unprecedented local demand for SEND provision meant that its secondary and post-16 site on Hargood Road needed redevelopment to support children with complex needs closer to home.

The project was procured by Galliford Try through the Southern Construction Framework (SCF), with Premier Modular engaged from the bidding process in the summer of 2023.

Working in partnership with Galliford Try’s design team, we delivered the above-ground building elements within our defined scope of works. This included the design, construction, delivery and installation of a modular learning village that provides bright, modern and comfortable learning spaces for 128 pupils aged 11–19 with autism (ASD) and complex language or learning delays, scaling to 240 places over time.

With a sloped site, restricted access and a need to minimise waste and disruption, modular construction provided the most effective solution for delivering the project within the required timeframe, while supporting its sustainability objectives.

Building Features

The Premier Modular team played a vital role in the design, manufacture and install of the modular elements of the building, while Galliford Try remained responsible for the wider project. The modular package included 113 modules, including external windows and doors, curtain walling, internal floor finishes, mist-coat decoration and integrated plumbing system (IPS).

The new facility provides a wide range of high-quality teaching, learning and support spaces, including modern classrooms, specialist teaching areas and dedicated staff and wellbeing facilities.

The modules span three separate two-storey blocks on an elevated split-level site. Blocks 2 and 3 sit on the lower level, while Block 1 is positioned on the upper level. The buildings are connected by modular link structures, including one two-storey link and a single-storey link built to foundation, allowing staff and pupils to move easily between teaching and support spaces.

The completed school includes:

A robust steel frame, providing the strength, stability and durability required for a high-quality permanent modular building.
Double-height curtain wall glazing, maximising natural daylight and creating bright, welcoming teaching spaces.
Green roof build-ups, supporting biodiversity, sustainable drainage and improved environmental performance.
A full-height hall using open modules in the main building, providing a versatile, airy space.
16 teaching classrooms, providing flexible, high-quality learning environments for pupils.
Three sensory rooms, offering calm and supportive spaces tailored to pupils’ individual needs.
Two practical teaching classrooms, supporting hands-on learning and the development of life skills.
A dedicated occupational therapy room, providing specialist facilities to support pupils’ wellbeing and development.

Challenges and Solutions

Overcoming complex logistics through early collaboration

Located within the M25, the site was in the centre of a densely populated residential area with transport restrictions, delivery embargoes and constrained access routes. Overcoming these challenges required meticulous planning and coordination from the very beginning to keep the project on track.

We commissioned surveys to assess site access constraints, which included identifying tree pruning requirements outside of the nesting season to provide safe transport routes. Parking suspensions were also secured by Galliford Try along delivery routes to facilitate module installation.

Design management presented another challenge, as responsibility for the overall project design was shared across multiple parties. For example, although the building’s façade was developed separately, we were responsible for delivering the structural solution behind it, providing recommendations for brickwork, cladding systems, green roof build-ups and double-height curtain wall glazing. Close coordination with the steel structure was essential to bring the design together, ensuring the design intent could be achieved while maintaining structural integrity and buildability.

Sustainable Construction

Rowan Wood School has been designed to target a BREEAM Excellent rating, reflecting its commitment to environmental performance. We collaborated closely with the wider design team throughout the project to embed sustainability within the technical design. Careful coordination of the structural steel frame enabled the successful integration of green roof build-ups, supporting biodiversity while improving rainwater management and thermal performance. Roof-mounted solar panels further enhance the building’s operational efficiency by generating renewable electricity on site.

As a permanent modular facility, the building also offers long-term flexibility, allowing future adaptation as educational requirements evolve while extending the building’s lifespan and reducing the need for major redevelopment.

Through close collaboration and our modular expertise, we’ve helped deliver a high-quality education facility that will serve the school community for years to come.

Whether you’re delivering a brand-new school or large-scale education redevelopment, the Premier Modular team are on hand to support.